Your turn! From Brogan Orthodontics

Week after week, Dr. Joseph Brogan and team blog about important topics pertinent to orthodontic treatment care and your well-being, including innovative orthodontic techniques we offer. This week, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our wonderful patients and readers: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog in the coming months? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask us for a while now? Let us know by posting here or on our interactive Facebook page!

So… take it away and we’ll try to answer any questions you may have!

Foods to Avoid during your Orthodontic Treatment

There are a variety of foods Dr. Joseph Brogan wants you to avoid while you're wearing braces. Some foods can occasionally damage braces, but certain foods can bend the wires or even break the brackets on your braces. If you’re wearing braces, you should avoid starch, sugar and gummy foods, as these foods can be difficult to remove during brushing. Foods that are high in sugar and starch tend to cause plaque, cavities and even tooth decay.

Avoid tough meats, hard breads and raw vegetables such as carrots and celery. Before long, you'll be able to bite a cucumber again. But you'll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as you're wearing braces.

Foods you should avoid include:

• Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
• Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips
• Sticky foods: caramels, gum
• Hard foods: nuts, candy
• Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots

Also, chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer.

If you have any questions on which foods you should be avoiding and why, we invite you to Brogan Orthodontics a call or ask our staff during your next visit.

Visualize your new smile with the Brace Painter!

Braces at Brogan Orthodontics are more fun than ever! With the Brace Painter, parents and children are able to “paint their braces,” and visualize how teeth will look with different colors of bands.

Would you like to try out green and gold bands this March, without the commitment of an all-out St. Patrick's Day look? The Brace Painter allows for you to select different colors, and then assign those colors of bands to certain teeth. Now, you can visualize your braces before you even come in for your appointment!

As always, please let Dr. Joseph Brogan know if you have any questions about the Brace Painter, or your orthodontic treatment at Brogan Orthodontics. Have a great week!

The Brogan Orthodontics GROUPON!

Hey everyone! We wanted to let you know about the upcoming Brogan Orthodontics Groupon.

On March 1st and 2nd, visit www.Groupon.com and search for Groupons in Philadelphia. Look for the Brogan Orthodontics special which includes:

Exam and X-Rays for $49 AND $1000 off the Invisalign treatment!

Give our office a call if you have any additional questions!

What puts you at ease at Brogan Orthodontics?

Dr. Joseph Brogan and team understand not everyone enjoys visiting their orthodontist. But we strive to bring you the best and most comforting experience at each visit. We’d like to know:

What is it about Brogan Orthodontics that makes you comfortable or puts you at ease? Is it something about our pleasant office environment? Our friendly staff or Dr. Brogan?

Let us know by posting here, on our Facebook page or by giving us a call. Have a great weekend!

What's Malocclusion?

Malocclusion, or what Dr. Joseph Brogan calls “bad bite,” is the improper alignment of teeth and/or jaws. When your teeth and jaws are not properly aligned, it may impact your bite, the ability to properly care for your teeth, your gum tissue health and even your appearance.

Most people experience some degree of malocclusion, but it generally is not severe enough to require corrective measures. If your malocclusion is serious enough, however, treatment may be necessary to correct the issue.

Dr. Brogan will tell you that untreated malocclusion can lead undesirable mouth problems, including tooth decay, gum disease, or chipped and cracked teeth. The most common solution for malocclusion, of course, is orthodontic treatment. The actual course of treatment, including the length of time you will require braces, will be determined by severity of your malocclusion. The goal of your treatment is to move your teeth into the proper position and correct any misalignment in the jaw.

At Brogan Orthodontics, we use the most advanced technology in the field in order to ensure that you receive the best possible results. If you have any questions about malocclusion, please give us a call and we’ll try to answer any questions you may have.

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month!

Each February for the past 61years, the American Dental Association (ADA) has sponsored National Children's Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. Developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits helps children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.

For kids wearing braces, brushing and flossing can become more difficult, requiring extra time and vigilance to remove food particles that accumulate on and between the teeth and in braces. New options for braces such as Invisalign Teen, which is removable, make it easier for kids to maintain good oral health during orthodontic treatment.

If the health of your teeth is ignored during treatment with braces, the results can be significantly compromised. Dr. Joseph Brogan is available and happy to explain why effective brushing and flossing is one of the most critical actions needed from patients during orthodontic treatment. Have you visited us lately? Give us a call and schedule an appointment!